What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Absorbent
Ceteareth-25
CleansingVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Ammonium Polyacrylate
StabilisingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Ptfe
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWelan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Water, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Zinc Oxide, Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ceteareth-25, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ptfe, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Welan Gum, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
PEG-30 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Acetate
Emollient
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Steareth-10
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Octyldodecanol, PEG-30 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Acetate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Capryloyl Glycine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Steareth-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
